This invention relates in general to communications, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for customizing a device based on a frequency response for a hearing-impaired user.
People with hearing impairments generally have trouble understanding conversations conducted over a telephone. Many telephones have volume controls that can compensate for a mild hearing loss by allowing a user to increase the volume of audio signals being broadcast to the user from the speaker in the handset. The volume controls, however, amplify the entire audio signal and do not compensate for particular frequencies that are located outside of the particular user""s hearing range. The volume controls must also be manually adjusted every time a person with a hearing impairment uses the telephone. When a person with normal hearing wishes to use the same telephone, the volume levels must be adjusted back to a normal level. Furthermore, increasing the local gain in the telephone handset may decrease the hearing-impaired user""s ability to distinguish speech from the amplified background noise.
In accordance with the present invention, the disadvantages and problems associated with customizing a device based on a frequency response for a hearing-impaired user have been substantially reduced or eliminated. In a particular embodiment, a method for customizing a device based on a frequency response for a hearing-impaired user is disclosed that retrieves a frequency filter associated with a hearing-impaired user from a database and applies the frequency filter to audio signals in a call session conducted at a device.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method for customizing a device based on a frequency response for a hearing-impaired user includes receiving an identifier associated with a hearing-impaired user at a device coupled to a network. A frequency filter associated with the hearing-impaired user is retrieved from a database by providing the identifier and applied to audio signals in a call session conducted over the network for presentation to the hearing-impaired user at the device.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for customizing a telephone based on a frequency filter associated with a hearing-impaired user includes receiving an identifier associated with a hearing-impaired user at a telephone coupled to a network. A frequency filter associated with the hearing-impaired user is retrieved from a database by providing the identifier and applied to audio signals received by the hearing-impaired user in a telephone call conducted over the network.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, a communication apparatus includes an interface that couples to a network, a control unit coupled to the interface, and a processing resource and a speaker coupled to the control unit. The control unit receives an identifier associated with a hearing-impaired user and retrieves a frequency filter associated with the hearing-impaired user from a database by providing the identifier. The processing resource applies the frequency filter to audio signals received at the interface and the speaker presents filtered audio signals generated by the processing resource to the hearing-impaired user.
Important technical advantages of certain embodiments of the present invention includes the ability to access a frequency filter associated with a frequency response for a hearing-impaired user from any device coupled to a network. When the hearing-impaired user establishes a call session at a device coupled to the network, the user logs into the device by providing a unique identifier. The device uses the identifier to retrieve the frequency filter associated with the hearing-impaired user from a database coupled to the network. The device then applies the frequency filter to audio signals in any calls received or placed by the user at the device.
Another important technical advantage of certain embodiments of the present invention includes the ability to apply a frequency filter to telephone calls conducted by a plain old telephone system (POTS) telephone. To operate the POTS telephone, the hearing-impaired user inputs an identifier. A call manager communicating with the POTS telephone receives the identifier and uses the identifier to retrieve a frequency filter associated with the hearing-impaired user from a central database. The call manager further instructs a call resource to apply the frequency filter to audio signals being sent to the POTS telephone and communicates the filtered audio signals to the hearing-impaired user at the POTS telephone.